In a video message, Cherry Hill Superintendent Joseph Meloche said all students are accounted for, but the school has released little information about the incident.
By Matt Skoufalos | January 4, 2017
Henry C. Beck Middle School in Cherry Hill dismissed as usual at 3 p.m. Wednesday, despite the fact that the building had been on lockdown since 11 a.m. due to an unspecified threat.
In a video message posted to the district website mid-afternoon, Cherry Hill Superintendent of Schools Joseph Meloche said the school received a threatening phone call Wednesday morning.
“The children and staff are all accounted for, and are safe and secure,” Meloche said in the message.
By the time the school was set to dismiss, the district had updated its message:
“The building is safe and the threat was revealed not to be credible,” a statement on the district website read. “Police are continuing their investigation as to the source of the threat.”
Meloche’s video message said that parents had been turned away from approaching the school grounds along Cropwell Road during the lockdown.
Cherry Hill Police Captain Amy Winters said Wednesday afternoon that police had not made any arrests in the incident. Later, in a statement, she reinforced that the investigation was still ongoing.
“As with any school threat, the incident is under active investigation, and those involved will be arrested and charged accordingly,” the statement read. “We will not tolerate any type of threat meant to terrorize or instill fear amongst members of our community.”
The district announced that all after-school activities at the building had been canceled, and its evening night school was rescheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, January 9.
More details when we have them.
Beck update!! Thank you @CherryHillPD pic.twitter.com/10b0HrflYz
— Joe Meloche (@MelocheJoe) January 4, 2017
